Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-09-10

Of rock, hammer, drills aid giant powder
and fuse for opening up your claim, ST.
| these you can get al any general store,
/ but your greatest difficulty will be in
getting good partner. All pCoSpec-
tors so IN parties of two, three and some
times four, sharing equally in every
claim located and in the expenses. Oas
partner, however, is as good as three,
Snd all the Old hands travel in twos.
There are always number OF men hang
ing sround Denver, DemiGg and Tono-
stone who are glad enough TO have q
chance at little or no expense to take 8
prospecting trip, but it IS well to make
inquiries before hitching horses with any
OF them. Once having got = "pAriner,"
thele IS nothing more to DC than TO pack
your mule and stsrt TO the mountains.
In searching for mineral, prospectorS
have hardly any rule, but
they follow kind Of routine
The first thing to fad is "d)at."
Float consists Of small pieces Of loose
rock containing mineral which hive been
detached from some ledge by TIE action
OF the atmosphere, and is found in the
bed of csnyous and Watercour5es. II the
"f)at" be the green or blue carb 0nate Of
copper (malachite or aZu-its), or even
rock deep y stained with copper, the hills
around are carefully searched 30 find the
Groupings 'ot the ledge-.he portion
above the ground from which it has been
detached. A few pieces of the groupings
are broken of here .nd there to identify
it with the "f)at," and 3 claim
is at once taken up. Udder
the United States law every citizen
or slien who has declared his Intention
to become citiz N is entitled to take up
claim on mineral lands OF the United
States 1900 feet on the length OF the
"lead, lode, vein or deposit" together
with 900 feet on each side for working
purposes. The location is made by mark
ing the bounds OF the claim with SIX mon
um4nts OF stones, and placing in the initial
monument, generally inClCsed IN an old
yecst powder can, e notice Of location,
with tac date, the Esme Of the nine, the
names OF the lOCatUrs, and, where posi-
bic the names OF one or more witness es.
Printed forms OF location can be pur-
CEASED, ready for filing out, il any min
ing town. Within ninety days from The
date OF location the notice must be re-
corded On the books Of the county clerk
of the county IL which the mine is situ
ated. The mine having been located
specimens are taken for a5seY, and if they
60 $40 il silver TO tie ton it Is safe t
sink ten foot prospect shaft 80 show W
the vein.
Ia Z prospecting trip Of from two to
three months s party will make perhaps 0
dozen locations, and its members will
think themselves in luck il GWo OUT of the
lot are worth sinking upon when their
specimens ere assayed. When Il body OF
mineral is exposed in the "prospact'' or
"dIscovery" shaft that will % sac
| to the ton, the p7nspecror, il
hard up, can ell it for $500 to
$1,000, CT he csn bond it for $40 eco
II ne sel!s it the amuuut mentioned in tn
deed is llWays G0out twenty timss WIS
| he gets foS il, end the sane holds COCO
when he bonds il. This is to give .
chance to the mi6dleman when he tries &
! put the property on the mining marie
in New YORK OF san Francisco to make 4.
| handsome Iittle pile for himself. These
middlemen vii! buy forty CT fifty claim:
| that show mineral ~ small prices, Gamb-
! ling on the ChsnCe thai one out IF IOrt'
may turn out to be 3 valuable property
4 number of merchants in tn,
southwest are epgsged il TIL.
business, aud SO prospectors ere {
reckless crowd and prone to get mt
! debt, they frequently obtain good nine,
for mere song. A fav0rite way il 9h.Ct
these merchants Obtain half interests il
| the 'fnds" of G number Of prospector
is by the system Of "gru5 stakes" The,
supply tn" outfit to the poor prOspeCtO
from their store, and he locates then
with him IN aII claims he finds. Tbi
system is a good one for the merchan
but bad one for the poor prO5pector
who fre quently finds himself frozen ou.'
through not being able 10 put up hi
equal share fer the development of tn
property.
The absolute ownership TO mine mus
be obtained by United States pstcnr, bu
IS mines are usually patented by compa
Lies ard hardly ever by p2ospeCtors Their
is no necessity TO enter into the details Q
the steps necessary to be taken TO ootsi
2 patent.
cannot Imagine more delightful Wa
10 pass g summer vaCsti0n t1gn on
prospecting tour among the mountains G
Colorado, New Mexico ard Arizona. TT
days are not 50 exceedingly warm, Will
the nights are deIciOuSlY CoOI
The air is clear and brscing and act
on the blood like Champagne, Every
thing about prospecting TIP is full o
interest and excitement, and though on
may noi stumble across 8 fortune he /
certain to bring back with him 8 stOr
OF health. He may even chance TO hit i
lucky. The first trip made prosDectin
was in New Mexico in 1880. | was
perfect tendertoot; yet my partner and
located claims, my share in which l sut
sequently sold for $500 l hsve ofte
gone prospecting since, but l never ioun
anything. Prospecting is d gamble.
Con A. MAHoNY.